Large storage containers, including boxes and cabinets, used in the construction industry are often formed of steel sheet. The floor, walls and ceiling (or lid) of the container can be formed either from a single sheet of steel that is bent at intersecting edges of these surfaces or from multiple pieces of sheet steel that are welded together. Many containers have bolsters underlying the floor, and some will include castors beneath the bolsters. Typical sizes for such a cabinet or box can range from 5 ft3 to 150 ft3 or even larger. Exemplary storage containers include those sold under the name JOBOX™ by Delta Consolidated Industries, Jonesboro, Ark. and those sold under the name JOBMASTER™ by Knaack Manufacturing, Crystal Lake, Ill.
For protection of tools stored inside the container cavity, the typical container has a cover, also formed of sheet steel, that is attached via a hinge to the rear wall of the box portion of the container. Such a cover pivots between a closed position covering the cavity and an open position that allows access to the cavity. The cover should have sufficient strength and durability to withstand the abuse a chest typically endures, including the stacking of heavy objects on the lid.
Horizontal lock systems in which the latching mechanism for the cover is operated from one end of the tool box using a padlock are known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,613 to Webb et al. An elongated latch rod is typically slidably disposed adjacent a front wall of the body of the container. The padlock and the elongated latch rod are positioned such that the padlock body blocks the longitudinal movement of the latch rod in the latched position when the container is in the closed position and the padlock is locked, but an end of the latch rod passes between the shackle and the padlock body to move the latch rod to a release position when the padlock is unlocked.
Horizontal lock systems typically require an operator to manually move the latch rod between the latched position and the release position after the padlock is unlocked. Accordingly, unlocking the container may be cumbersome because the operator generally needs to both unlock the padlock and manually move the latch rod. In addition, it may be difficult to determine visually whether the container is locked or unlocked.